There are many great colleges and universities in America. The best one by far is the College of Hard Knocks, usually located near you during times of struggle or failure. It is called hard knocks because occasionally life isn’t easy or fair. The greatest lessons in life generally come at these times. Once in a while, it takes a hard knock to jolt us back into reality or turn us away from the wrong path so we can jump back on the right path.
One of my important life lessons came while I was in basic training at Fort Ord, California. My drill sergeant had wisdom beyond his rank. One day on the rifle range, one of my shots completely missed the target. The drill sergeant came over to see what caused me to miss the target. Feeling embarrassed, I told the sergeant there was something wrong with my gun. He took it from me, inspected it thoroughly, and handed it back to me. He said: “You’re right, private, there is something wrong with your gun. It’s the nut behind the butt plate!”
After a few seconds, I figured out that he was referring to me. I was the nut behind the plate. On my next shot, I focused on the target, improved my body position, took a deep breath and let out half, and slowly applied even pressure to the trigger. This time, the nut behind the butt plate got a bull’s-eye.
From that day forward, I have always looked at my own behavior before casting blame on others. Whenever I make a mistake, whether in sports, business, my family, or life in general, I am always quick to say “my fault” so as not to imply blame on others or leave doubt as to whose fault it was. Before I ever enter into any situation, make comments, give advice, or decide on important matters, I always analyze my motives to be certain I am doing the right thing for the right reason.
If you find yourself in the position of being the nut behind the butt plate, celebrate the fact that you make mistakes because you are human and that you can learn from your mistakes and move on.
Congratulations, you have just passed your first class, “Growth and Development 101,” at the College of Hard Knocks.
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